Control apparatus



Jan. 29, 1929.

. 1,700,602 L. J. STEPHENSON CONTROL APPARATUS Filed Dec. 8, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 2/ K BY I ATTORNEY Jan. 29, 1929. 1,700,602

L. J. S TEPHENSON CONTROL APPARATUS Filed Dec. ,0 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Hg. 4. 4a

'WIT ESSES:

Vv I Patented Jan. 29, p r

' T D rsTA Es' LEIGH JAMES STEPHENSON, or OAKMONT, PE NSYLv NIA, assronon m'owssmq- -J"1, ,60zz ENrYoFFicE;a

gnousn ELECTRIC amnmrrac'runme company; A .coaronar'ron or PENNSYL- VANIA.

jcon'rnon APPARATUS. I

. Application filed liecember s; 1925. Serial mf'zaazo.

My invention relates generally to controllers ;for motor vehicles,.and more particu' larly to switching devices associated with controllers for controlling thefl-line-switchactuating circuit.

The object of the invention, generally stated, is the provision of a switching mechanism for controllers that shall belsimpl'e and eflicient in operation, and readily and economically manufactured. a A more specific objectof the invention is to provide means for the control of a lineswitch-actuating circuit when thecontroller 1s in an operative positionand the breaking of; the actuating circuit independently of the switch actuating means when the controller is in its 011' position. A further object of the invention is to insure safety in; operation when more than one controller is connected in a circuit.

1 It is also an object of the invention :to so construct and assemble the. apparatus as to facilitate the work of replacement and repair of parts subjected to the greatest wear. Other -0bjects'of the invention will, in part, be obvious and, in part, will appear hereinafter, .1 Theinvention, accordingly, is disclosed in the embodiment thereof shown inv the accompanying drawing, and comprises the features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangement of parts' which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope of the. application of which will be indicated in the claims,

For a fuller understandingofithe nature and objects of the invention,, reference should behad to the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

1 Figure 1 is a horizontal sectional view of one el'nbodin'ient of the device constructed ,in accordanre withthis invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation, partly .in section, showing features of the construc tion; 7 1 I Fig 3 is a view in side'eleva'tion, with a portion of the structure-removed to show the relative positions oftheoperat-ing members;

and y Fig. 4is a diagram of circuit connections that ma '.be used when two controllers are v mounte on a motor vehicle.

nated 15 and 16 and 17'. which intermesh.

will be observed,the shaft 11 projects above the casing 12 to receive the drum-actuating mechanism. In this partlcular construction, the drum-actuating mechanism comprises an auxiliary shaft 13 that is rotatably mounted in alinement with the drum-shaft:

11. The operation of the auxiliary shaft may be elfected'by .mea-ns of a handle 14 of any well-known type.

A lost-motion connection :is provided he tween the auxiliary shaft 13fand the main shaft 11, comprisingtwodogs, one. attached to each shaft. 'As will be'observed by reference to Fig. 1', .each dog is providedwith two spacedprojections or curved lugs desigand 18, respectively,

I In order to obtain a. movement of the shaft 13 relative to the shaft 11 to effect the operation of a. switching device to be hereinafter described, the intermeshing projections on the dogs are proportioned to permit their relative movement through a predetermined angle.

In this particular construction, a.

movement of approximately 30 will fsufliite. .As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, an auxiliary drum 19 is mounted on the drum shaft '11. This auxiliary drum may be fixed to the shaft in any 'suitable manner so that it will rotate with the drum '10. Two contact segments 20 and 21 are mounted on the auxiliarydrum 19 w and extend substantially around its, circumference. In order to prevent the closure of the line switch of the motor vehicle before the drum 10 reaches its firstoperative position, as will be described hereinafter, the contact segment 20 is disposed somewhat in the rear of the contact segment 21. g

With a view to establishment of electrical connection between the contact segments 20 and 21 during the operation of. the controller, two contact members or fingers 22 and 23, which are electrically connected to the contact segments 20 and 21, "respectively, are. provided. These contact members 2 and 23 are similar in construction and mounted in substantially .the same manner;

therefore it will suffice to describe one of them. As illustrated inFig. 3,"the' contact member 22 is mounted at right angles to the contact segments and 21 and has formed, on its lower end, a curved portion shaped to seat on a block 24. In order to retain contact member i 22 in operative position, a spring 25 ismounted on a screw26, which engages a threaded opening that is provided in the block 24. In this manner, the contact member 22 is resiliently mounted so as to permit movement of 1 its upper end.

Since contact members, such as 22 and 23, in service are continually subjected to arcing',they soon become coated with carbon or burned,necessitating their replacement. In order to -facilitate such replacement of these contact members 22 and 23, their lower ends are bifurcated, as shown at 28, so that they may be readily withdrawn or reset in position, without removing any of the other members of the switching mechanism. T In orderto electrically. connect the contact members 22 and 23, a switching member,

shown generally at 29, 'is provided and mounted on theupper dog whichmay be ac- ,tuated by the controller handle 14. As shown, in- Fig. 1- the switching member 29 comprises twocontact screws 30 and 31, the headset which are clamped between two semicircular insulatingmembers 32 and 33 that arefixed toYtheupper dog in any suitable manner, such as by the use of screws 34. Extending between the heads 01 the contact screws is a conductor 35 which, inthisparticular construction, is flexible so that the switch member may be easily mounted and removed. 7 As illustrated the angular spacing of the contact screws 30 and 31 .is the same as the angular spacing of the'contact members 22 and 23. 7 I

It-is further pointed out that the contact screws 30 and 3.1 are disposed on the upper dog so that they engage the contact members and 23 ust'betore the co-operat1ng projections of the upper and lower dogengage, as the handle 14 is rotated forwardly. In this manner, electrical connection may be established lJQhYtt -II the contact members 22 and .23 by rotating the handle 14 forward relative to the drum, and the electrical connection thus established may be broken by rotating the handle baclnvardly.

In this embodiment of the invention, in order to connect the contact segments 20 and 21in the line-switch actuating circuit, contact fingers 36 and '37 are removably mounted'on a casing 38,'which is provided for enclosing the switching mechanism. These con tact fingers are mounted on an insulating block 39, which may be removably attached to the casin by means of bolts 40. As shown in F ig. 2, tie contact fingers 36 and 37 are disposedinv alinement with the contact seg ments 20 and 21, respectively.

Referring now to the diagram of connections shown in Fig.4, it will be seen that the actuating coil 43 of a line switch 44 is connected to the contact fingers 37 and 39 of the two controllers, which are located atv opposite ends of the vehicle. In order to complete the circuit through. the line-switchactuating coil 43, groundedcontact segments 41 are provided on the controllers and disposed to engage contact fingers 42 when the controller drums are moved to their initial opeative positions. As shown, an interlock 45 is provided'on the switch 44 to establish a'holdin circuit when 'the line switch In the operation of either controller, when it is desired to close the motor circuits, the corresponding handle 14 is rotated in a forward direction, first taking up the lost mo tion between the shaft 13 and theshaft 11 and projecting the contact screws 30 and 31 into engagement wit-h the contact members 23 and 22, respectively. Since the contact segment 21 extends in advance of the contact segment 20, the contact finger 37 is in engagement therewith at thistime, as shown in Fig. 2. Consequently, the contact segment 21 is connected through line-switch coil 43 to the contact finger 42 of the controller 10. In this first position of the handle 14,'thc contact segments 20 and 21 are electrically connected through the switch member 29, as"

previously described. Y

When the handle 14 is moved another step forward, the grounded contact member 41. is PIOJGOtGCl into engagement with the con tact finger 42, and thecontact segment 20 into engagement w th the contact finger Intlns manner, the 'line-switch-actuating circuit is closed, and current flows from trolley 48 through current-collector 47, switch 46, contact finger 36, contact segment 20, contact member 22, contact screw 31, conductor and contact screw 30of switch member 29, contact member 23, contact segment 21, contact finger 37, resistor 49, lineswitch-actuating coil 43, and contact linger 42, to the grounded contact member 41 that is carried bythe controller drum. The line switch. 44 is immediately closed, and the interlock 45 is actuated to complete a holding circuit through the actuating coil 43 to ground at 49, thus maintaining the closure of line-switch 44 independently, of controllei 10.

Assuming that the handle 14 is rotated counter-clockwise to the extent of the" lost motion that is provided between theintergagementwith the contact member 23 and 22, respectively, the line switch actuating circuit is immediately broken. However,.the

controller drumlO has not thereby been rotated counterclockwise, and the line-switchactuating circuit may be reestablished by the rotation of the handle: clockwise to again actuate the switch member 29. Thus, while the controller 10 remains in its first operative position, the motors may be actuatedto move the car forward step by step through the operation of the line switch only. This process of moving the car is well known as inchingi.

In order to emphasize the advantages of constructing the control mechanism for the line-switch-actuating circuit with the conment 21, an example of whatmight happen tact segment set behind thecontact segif the contact segments were the same length will be explained. Assume that it is desired to operate the motor vehicle through the actuation of the controller shown at the left of Fig; 4, and, the vehicle being in traflic, that the operator desires to operate according to the process known as inching.

Ordinarily, when the operator or motorman is using one controller, the reversing key is removed from the other controller and the drum of the latter is locked. However, this does not prevent unauthorized persons from actuating the'shaft 13 to take up the lost motion.

Letus assume that the controller shown at the right of Fig. 4 is provided with two. ,contactsegments similarto 21 and that its shaft 13 has been rotated forward by an unauthorized person to take up the lost mo tion, thereby actuating the switch member 29, and that the controller on the left has been set by the motor man in its first opera- "tive position, so that he may open and close the line switch 44 by oscillating the handle hen the operator oscillates the handle 14 counterclockwise or backward, in order to insure safety in operation, the line switch 44 should lmmediately open. However, in this particular case, the switch 29 of the righthand controller is closed and current flows from the trolley 48, through switch 46, contact segment 20 (if the same length as the contactsegment 21), switch 29, contactsegment 21, contact finger 37 resistor 49, lineswitch-actuat-ing coil 48, and contact finger 42 of the controller to the left, to the grounded contact member 41. Consequent- 1y, it will be impossible for the operator to open the line switch without moving the left-hand controller 10 from its initial posiabove construction and different embodiits initial contacting position before the disposed to prevent the closure of the tionandso he is unable to inch the car along. i

' The advantage of applicants construction is therefore evident, since it will be. readily understood that unauthorized persons, by actuating the shaft 13 of one controller to take up the i lost motion, can, in no way, Iaffect the control of the motor vehicle there- Since certain changes may be made in. the

ments of the invention may be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative, and not in a limiting'sense.

I claim as my invention: 1

1. In a controller, the combination with a drum, an actuating handle for the drum and a lost-motion connection between the handle and drum, of means for controlling a switch-actuating circuit comprising contact members disposed to move with the drum and-to be connected into the circuit and adapted to prevent the closure of the switch until the drum has been moved .to

its first operative position, and means operated by the handlefor making and breaking circuit connections between said contact members.

2. In a controller, the combination with a drum, an actuating handle for the drum and a lost-motion connection between the handle and drum, of means for controlling a switch actuating circuit comprising contact members disposed in fixed relation to the drum to move with the latter, contact fingers for connecting the contact members in the switchactuating circuit, and means disposed to be operated by the handle when moved relative tothe drum to cooperate with the contact members to control the switch actuating circuit, said contact members being positioned relative to the drum to permit the movement of the drum into switch actuating circuit is closed.

3. In a controller, the combination with a drum, an actuating handle. for the drum and a lost-motion connection between the handle and drum, of means for controlling a switch-actuating circuit comprising contact segments disposed to move with the drum, means operatedby the handle for. making and breaking electrical connection between the contact segment, and means for connecting the contactsegments in the switch-actuating circuit, said segments being switch-actuating circuit before the drum reaches its first operative position.

4. In a controller provided with a drum, means for controlling a switch-actuating circuit comprising, in combination, contact segments movable with the drum, resiliently mounted contact members electrically connected to the contact segments, and means movable independently of the drum to bridge the contact members.

5. In acontroller provided with a drum, means for controlling a switch-actuating circuit comprising, in combination, contact segments movable with the drum, resiliently mounted contact members electrically connected to the contact segment-s, means 1novable independently of the drum to bridge the contact members, and means for connecting said contact segments in. the switchactuating eircuit,said connecting means and contact Segments being disposed relative to one another to prevent the closure of the switch before the drum reaches its first operative position. v

6. In a controller provided with a drum, means for controlling a switch-actuating circuit comprising, incombination, contact segments disposed for movement with the drum, resiliently mounted contact members electrically connected. to the contact segments, means movable independently of the drum for making and breaking electrical connections between the contact segments, and means for connecting said contact segments in the switch-actuating circuit, one of said contact segments being disposed in the rear of the other and so located relative to the drum as to prevent the closure of the switch-actuating circuit before the. drum reachesits first operative position.

7. In a controller, the combination with a main drum, a handle for actuating the drum and a lost-motion connection between the handle and drum, of means for controlling a switch-actuating circuit comprising an auxiliary drum mounted to move with the main drum, two contact segments carried by said auxiliary drum, one of said contact segments being disposed'in the rear of the other.

contact members resiliently mounted and electrically connected to said contact segments, and switching means disposed for movement with the handle as it moves relative to the drum for making and breaking electrical connection between said contact members.

8( In a controller, means for controlling a circuit comprising an auxiliary drumdisposed for rotatlon, contact segments mounted on the auxiliary drum, one of said segments being disposed in the rear of the other, contact members resiliently mounted and electrically connected to the contact seg-, I

ments, and means movable relative to the auxiliary drum for making and breaking electrical connection between the contact members.

9. In a controller, in combination, a main by'the auxiliary drum, one of said contact segments being disposed in the rear oi the other, contact members resiliently mounted and electrically connected to the contact segments, and a bridging member disposed for operation by said handle as it moves relative to the drum to make and break electrical connection between the contact members.

10. In a controller, in combination, a drum, a handle for actuating the drum, intermeshing members interposed between the handle and the drum, said intermeshing members being disposed to permit a predetermined movement relative tOoneanOther, resilient contact members carried by one of the intermeshing members, and a bridging member carried by the other intermeshing member and disposed to engage the resilient contact members, thereby to efiectswitching operations when the handle is oscillated.

11; In a controller, in combination, a drum, a handle for actuating the drum, intermeshing dogs interposed between the handie and drum, said dogs being disposed to permit a predetermined relative movement,

spring-pressed contact members c; ried by one of th dogs, a bridging member carried by the other dog, the bridging member being disposed to engage the. spring-presset contact members, thereby to eii'ect switching operations as the handle'is oscillated.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this first day of December 1925.

LEIGH JAMES STEPI IENSON, 

